Leg exercising apparatus

ABSTRACT

An exercising apparatus of the leg-press type characterized by footpedals which move back and forth on a horizontal track in a position aligned with and in front of a user&#39;&#39;s chair and which footpedals are connected through a roller chain to a stack of weights which is disposed on one side of the path of travel of the footpedals.

United States Patent 1191 Salkeld 1 LEG EXERCISING APPARATUS [76] Inventor: Larry A. Salkeld, 928 Harvey Rd.,

Monroeville, Pa. 15146 [22] Filed: Aug. 13, 1971 [21]- Appl. No.: 171,525

[52] U.S. C1 272/58, 272/81, 272/DIG, 2 [51] Int. Cl A6311 211/06 [58] Field of Search 272/81, 79 R, 79 C, 79 D, 272/80, 82, 83 R, 83 A, 58, 24; 128/25 R, 25 B 1 56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 42,516 4/1864 1,185,015 5/1916 1,621,477 3/1927 1,837,872 12/1931 Johnson 272/80 UX 1,973,945 9/1934. Chavin et a1 272/58 2,456,017 12/1948 Park 272/58 2,924,214 2/1960 Zak 272/58 X 3,323,366 6/1967 De Lorme, Jr. et a1. 272/80 X 3,572,701 3/1971 Agamian 1. 272/79 R 3,589,720 6/1971 Agamian 272/80 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,124,173 6/1956 France 272/81 +17 -56 1 ,1, L50 ,1; 42 5' 20 4a 40 J I 32 34 1"- LQ as l:

1 June 28, 1974 687,153 2/1953 Great Britain 2.72/81 750,826 l/1967 Canada 272/83 R 10,235 4/1895 Switzerland 272/58 OTHER PUBLICATIONS Michna Systems, Conveyor Manufacturers and Engineers, Chicago, Illinois, 1953 Catalog, Pages 4 and 5.

Marcys Magnificient Machine, Marcy Gymnasium Equipment Company Brochure, 1968, Glendale, Calif. Station 5.

Primary Examiner-Anton O. Oechsle Assistant ExaminerArnold W. Kramer 5 7] ABSTRACT An exercising apparatus of the leg-press type characterized by footpedals which move back and forth on a horizontal track in a position aligned with and in front of a users chair and which footpedals are connected through a roller chain to a stack of weights which is disposed on one side of the path of travel of the footpedals.

8 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures iAlENTEiJJunzs 1974 SHEET 1 BF 3 g H MINI! Illl mm LEG EXERCISING APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to exercising apparatus for physical development and muscular rehabilitation; and more particularly, it pertains to exercising apparatus of the leg-press type.

2. Description of the Prior Art The importance of physical exercise to general good health and muscle tone has resulted in the development of various types of exercising equipment in recent years. One type of such equipment is the physical conditioning machine in which so-called stations are provided in and around the machine for exercising different muscles of the human body. Some of the stations include stacks of weights of which one or more are selected for lifting through an associated lever-type manipulator. It has been found that there is a safety hazard with the leg-press stations of some exercising machines. This is particularly true where the pedals are mounted on pendulum-type levers where, upon extreme extension of the legs, the feet slip off of the footpedals. As

the uncontrolled footpedals return to the home position they often cause serious injury to the users legs and particularly the kneecaps.

Associated with the foregoing has been a problem with flexible cables used between the weights and the lever-type manipulator. A disadvantage of such cables is that they wear out and break due to heavy and abusive treatment to which the machines are often subjected.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It has been found in accordance with this invention that the foregoing disadvantages may be overcome by providing an exercising apparatus of the leg-press type in which footpedals are mounted on a horizontal track in response to pressure applied by the legs of the user who is seated behind the pedals. The pedals are connected by an elongated flexible linkage to laterally disposed weights. Such linkage is preferably a roller chain that is flexible in one direction; namely, around the chain pins and not laterally thereof. For two-way flexibility the chain is composed of two segments, one being connected to the weights and rotatable in one direction and the other segment being connected to the footpedal and rotatable in a direction at an angle to the first segment. The segments comprising a continuous roller chain linkage have a directional change device between the footpedals and the weights.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line VII-VII of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line VIII-VIII of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary view taken on the line IX-IX of FIG. 8.

I DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS receiving means including footpedals 26. The station 10 also includes pressure means for resisting movement of the footpedals to the left as viewed in FIG. 1, which pressure means includes a stack of weights 28 and an elongated flexible member, such as a cable, link chain, and roller chain 30.

In'the embodiment of the track 24 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the track 24 includes at least one and preferably a pair of horizontal bars or rods 32 which rods are laterally and horizontally spaced from each other. The rods may have any cross section but are preferably round with 1 inch diameters and approximately four inches apart. The left ends of the rods, as viewed in FIG. 1, are attached to a horizontal frame member 34 which extends between the rear comer posts 18 and 20. The right ends of the rods 32 are attached to a plate 36 (FIG. 3) which plate is mounted on an upright post 38, the lower end of which is mounted on the base 12.

The footpedals 26 are mounted on slide means or carriage 40, having reinforcing webs 42, 44 and 46 (FIG. 1) extending between the carriage body portion and the footpedals 26. The carriage 40 includes a pair of horizontally spaced bores 48 which are slideably mounted on the spaced rods 32. The foot-pedals 26 are attached to a stack of weights by the roller chain and are normally disposed in the right end position on the track as viewed in FIG. ll. A bumper 50 is mounted on the end of the carriage (FIG. 3) to maintain clearance between the end of the carriage and a chain sprocket 52. The bumper is composed of resilient material such as rubber and includes a center bore through which a mounting bolt 54 is disposed with the left end of the bolt being seated in a threaded aperture 56.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the sprocket 52 is mounted on a shaft 58 the end portions of which are mounted in a pair of spaced similar brackets 60. The brackets 60 are mounted on one side of the post 38. The post 38 includes a vertical slot or opening 62 through which the sprocket 52 as well as the chain 30 extend. Thus, the sprocket 52 holds the chain 30 substantially centrally within the post as shown in FIG. 3. The lower end of the chain 30 is secured to a threaded stud 64 which is seated within a threaded hole 65 in the right end of the carriage 40. The opening 65 is centrally located between the rods 32 to avoid any binding action as the carriage moves along the rods.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the chain 30 extends upwardly through the open end of the post 38 to a sprocket 66 and then horizontally to and around a sprocket 68. The chain 30 then extends downwardly to the stack of weights 28.

As shown in FIG. 2, the stack of weights 28 is laterally disposed from the track 24 and the footpedals 26, or to the right thereof as shown in FIG. 2. Each weight may have a mass of any desired weight, such as or pounds. The lower end of the roller chain 30 (FIG. 8) is attached to a weight lift bar 70. The bar 70 is an elongated member extending vertically through aligned openings 72 in the stack of weights 28 and is provided with a series of spaced apertures 74, one aperture for each weight 28. In addition, each weight 28 has a slot 76 into which a weight lift pin 78 is removably inserted with the pin extending through the aperture 74 for the particular weight to be lifted. All other weights above the particular weight to be lifted are lifted thereby. When the pin 78 is inserted in place as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, a locking lug 80 extending upwardly therefrom is disposed in an enlarged portion 82 of the slot 76. The pin 78 includes a downtumed handle 84 which, by gravity, holds the lug 80 in vertical position. When the handle 84 is rotated in either direction (FIG. 8), the lug 80 is turned to either broken-line position 80a or 80b and the pin is removable from the slot.

The top or cap weight 28a includes a boss 86 through which the bar 70 extends. The upper end of the bar is attached by a pin 88 to the lower end of the chain 30. The bar 70 is attached to the boss 86 by a roll pin 87 that extends through aligned apertures 89 and 91 in the bar and boss, respectively.

As shown more particularly in FIG. 2, a pair of vertical weight tracks 90 extends between the header 22 and the base 12, and the stack of weights 28 have aligned apertures through which the tracks 90 extend and by which the weights are guided during their vertical movement. The cap weight 28a also has a pair of similar vertical bosses 92 which serve as guides to prevent any binding between the cap weight and the weight tracks 90 during their vertical movement.

As shown in FIG. 2, the sprockets 66 and 68 are mounted in brackets 94 and 96 which, in turn, are attached to the header 22. A segment 30a of the roller chain 30 attached to the bar 70 extends upwardly and around the pulleys 66 and 68. It is noted that the other segment 30b of the roller chain passes around the sprocket 52 (FIG. 3) and that sprocket is disposed in a plane perpendicular to that of the sprockets 66 and 68. Inasmuch as the chain segment 30a turns only in the direction of the arrow 98 (FIG. 4), it is not feasible to use a roller chain 30 which extends around the sprockets 66 and 68 as well as the sprocket 52, unless two chain segments are used. Accordingly, a lower segment 30b of the chain is connected to the upper segment 30a by a directional change device. Thus, the upper and lower segments 30a and 30b are free to travel around and over their respective sprockets with smooth movement throughout its path of travel.

The directional change device between the upper and lower portions 30a and 30b may be a swivel 100 (as shown in FIG. 4) having a connecting yoke 101 that is rotatably attached to an end thrust bearing 102 to which the lower portion of the chain 30b is secured by yoke 103.

An alternate form of the directional change device is an unturnable adapter link 104 having an upper yoke 105a and a lower yoke 105b to which the chain segments 30a and 30b are respectively attached. The link 104 is simply a connector between the chain segments that are flexible at angles to each other to move around the sprockets 66 and 52. The link 104 is not a swivel.

Safety means such as a shield 106 is provided adjacent the stack of weights 28 to prevent injury to the user which may otherwise occur due to the proximity of the weight stacks and the footpedals 26 when the weights are raised and lowered during use of the device.

As shown in FIG. 1, a seat 108 is provided. The seat is mounted on a frame member 110, the left end of which is mounted at 112 to the post 38 and the right end of which is mounted at 114 on'a seat support 116. For convenience of the user, a plurality of spaced openings 118 is provided along the member to enable a user 120 selective positioning of the seat on the frame by a selector pin 122. An alternative to the seat 108 and the frame member 110 may be simply the provision of a suitable chair on the floor in the position of the seat 108.

Another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 6 wherein a track comprising a pair of spaced rods 124 and 126 (FIG. 7) is pivotally mounted at 128 on the post 38 to enable angular movement of the bars through the arrow 130 as shown in FIG. 6. The left ends of the rods 124 and 126 are secured to a plate 132 on the member 34 which plate includes an arcuate slot 134 in which a pin 136 is movably mounted and secured at any desired position by suitable clamping means such as a wing nut 138. The manner in which the rods 124 and 126 are pivotally attached to the post 38 is shown in FIG. 7 wherein a pair of mounting brackets 140 and 142 extend outwardly from the front side of the post. Annular flanges or caps 144 and 146 are disposed on oppositely disposed sides of the brackets 140 and 142 for receiving trunnions 150 and 152 which are secured in place by a bolt or pin 154. The rod 126 is attached to the trunnion 150 and the rod 124 is attached to the trunnion 152 in a suitable manner such as by welds 150a and 152a. The sprocket 52 is mounted on the pin 154 and extends through the opening 62 in the post 38 in the manner similar to that shown in FIG. 3.

The advantage of the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 is that it provides progressive resistance to pressure required to move the footpedals when the guide tracks or rods 124 and 126 are inclined upwardly. In this manner any force required to lift a selected mass of weights is increased in accordance with the angle of rod inclination. Contrarily, when the rods 124 and 126 are inclined downwardly, less resistance is required to push the footpedals along the tracks. Accordingly, any multiple or fraction of a selected mass of weights may be provided for the user.

The device of the present invention provides exercising apparatus for the leg muscles and is thereby conducive to muscular development and rehabilitation procedures. Moreover, the undesirable aspects of prior structures are eliminated to provide a safer apparatus for the user.

Although the invention has been shown in connection with certain specific embodiments, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in form and arrangement of parts may be made to suit requirements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. An exercising apparatus of the leg-press type comprising an upstanding box-like frame, a track supporting post fixed to said frame at the front of said frame and having the front of a track supported thereby, said track extending rearwardly from said track supporting post and supported at the rear thereof by a horizontal frame member fixed to said frame, a foot pedal slideably mounted on said track and movable forwardly and rearwardly along said track, an elongated flexible tension means fixed at one end to said foot pedal and extending around a plurality of rotatable supports rotatably mounted on said frame and said track supporting post and fixed at the other end to a weight supporting means whereby a user of said apparatus, when positioned in front of said frame, may push said foot pedal rearwardly along said track against the weight of a predetermined number of weights attached to said weight supporting means, said rotatable supports being so ar- 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said chain is a roller chain having one segment connected to said weight supporting means that is flexible in one direction only and another segment connected to said foot pedal that is flexible only at an angle to that of said one segment, and said rotatably mounted rotatable supports are sprockets.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein a directional change device is disposed between said chain segments.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said track is pivotally mounted for adjustment to positions other than horizontal, and means for clamping said track in said other positions.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a secondary frame member extends forwardly from said frame and a seat is mounted on said secondary frame member.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said track includes at least one rod and said foot pedal includes a carriage mounted on said rod.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said track includes a pair of spaced rods on which said foot pedal is slideably mounted.

UNITED STATES ATENT QFFICE CERTIFECATE l @CQEQTIGN Patent No. 3, 820, 782 Dat d June 28, 1974 Inventor( s) LARRY A, SALKELD It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In Claim 1 Column 5, line 7, delete "horizontal".

Signed and sealed this 12th day of November 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

McCOY M. GIBSON JR. C. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents FORM PO-1050 (10-69) USCOMM-DC 60370-P69 w u.sv covzmmzm PRINTING OFFICE 1 In" 0-366-334. 

1. An exercising apparatus of the leg-press type comprising an upstanding box-like frame, a track supporting post fixed to said frame at the front of said frame and having the front of a track supported thereby, said track extending rearwardly from said track supporting post and supported at the rear thereof by a horizontal frame member fixed to said frame, a foot pedal slideably mounted on said track and movable forwardly and rearwardly along said track, an elongated flexible tension means fixed at one end to said foot pedal and extending around a plurality of rotatable supports rotatably mounted on said frame and said track supporting post and fixed at the other end to a weight supporting means whereby a user of said apparatus, when positioned in front of said frame, may push said foot pedal rearwardly along said track against the weight of a predetermined number of weights attached to said weight supporting means, said rotatable supports being so arranged as to direct the tension means so that said weights and weight supporting means are positioned for vertical movement within said frame and to one side of said track.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said elongated flexible tension means is a chain.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2 whErein said chain is a roller chain having one segment connected to said weight supporting means that is flexible in one direction only and another segment connected to said foot pedal that is flexible only at an angle to that of said one segment, and said rotatably mounted rotatable supports are sprockets.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein a directional change device is disposed between said chain segments.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said track is pivotally mounted for adjustment to positions other than horizontal, and means for clamping said track in said other positions.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a secondary frame member extends forwardly from said frame and a seat is mounted on said secondary frame member.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said track includes at least one rod and said foot pedal includes a carriage mounted on said rod.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said track includes a pair of spaced rods on which said foot pedal is slideably mounted. 